Team-BHP - Weekend trip from Chennai around the forests/reservoirs north of Tirupati

- - Weekend trip from Chennai around the forests/reservoirs north of Tirupati (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-travel-queries/86699-weekend-trip-chennai-around-forests-reservoirs-north-tirupati.html)

Help needed for a weekend trip from Chennai. I would like to do something outside of Tamil Nadu since driven to quite a few places within the arc from Velankanni on the south to Krishnagiri on the West. I would like to try out something to the North in Andhra. Here too Tada, SriKalahasti, Tirupati, Chandragiri, Madanapalle (not-done but am aware of.)

So my question: Any idea about the roads going through the Sri Venkateswara National Park, Somasila reservoir, Turupukonda forest. I know about the Talakona waterfalls. Are there good drives around this area (see map below)? Is there a safe parking close to trek areas? Are these treks safe? Dams? Place to stay? Something like go thru NH205 - up - thru the forests, see dams, waterfalls, stay there in a lodge/hotel, come back via NH5 south-bound to Chennai on Sunday. Thanks!

Weekend trip from Chennai around the forests/reservoirs north of Tirupati-venkateswara.jpg

Navan: So, as I mentioned been to all those places. I am asking for something north of Tirupati. Looks like no ones ever taken Renigunta-Rajampet route over the Cheyyeru river? And looks like we cannot drive over these hills. We need to get out of our cars to scale them or trek over/thru them as some of my office mates do regularly - the chennaitrekkers.org. Is Tada or Talakona do-able by me, wife, kid? I dont doubt the physical endurability, just doubting if the place is safe with just 3 of us, safe-car-parking? How far from the car-park till we reach the falls?

We went to Tada with parents, but it would have been tough for them to go all the way. So we returned from the base.

Thanks Aargee for the link. I had a good look at it now by kittigadu. Thanks to kittigadu. I can plan. Probably would do a one day drive to Talakona and a stay on Horseley hills on some other weekend. Its Saturday morning and just back after reconnecting the speakers board at the back of the car and helping wifey cleaning up the car with the car polish (an American polish - handed over by bro to Dad to me.)Anyway, a lil late to start and its getting really hot in Chennai this morning. Still would be interested in knowing about places/drives around the forests north of Tirupati. Thanks.

I always thought Talakona was an out-and-out a difficult trekkers-only un-manned adventure area. But thanks to kittigadu for his trip report and Argee for pointing the same. It helped in giving me a picnic-ky feel to the area and triggering us to do it.

8th Aug - 5:15 AM to 6:00 PM.

Stoppages:

Home made breakfast after Tiruttani enroute Tirupati
Talakona water falls
Log Huts at the base
Kalyani Dam
Lunch before Srikalahasti

All and all a great one day outing - great driving pleasure, fantastic white clouds/blue-sky, green/rocky hill views, trek to the water-falls (nice walkway/steps under the shade of the trees) and dam (with the overhead sun), canopy walk (a long hanging bridge) within the campus of the log-huts area, great breakfast, life-saving lunch (oasis feeling), filling tank when in reserve.

Route map:

Weekend trip from Chennai around the forests/reservoirs north of Tirupati-8thaugroutemap.jpg

So you did one full circle? Good, time for pics & a travelogue :D
Good that you took NH4-NH205 instead of NH205 directly only to go via congested Ambattur. But did you do the trip in entire one day from 5:00 Am to 6:00 PM?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeevmenon (Post 2017717)

Home made breakfast after Tiruttani enroute Tirupati

its time for pics and travelogue please.

I find Thiruthani as very chaotic place.

@aargee: Yes, this was done in a day. Primarily because you were all late in replying to my query over my weekend plan. I waited till Friday night :-) And Saturday just went off without having made up the mind. Saturday night we thought of just doing a one-day Sunday trip.

Wifey took logs and sent me the mail this morning.

10:15 hrs - Water falls
13:00 hrs - Kalyani Dam
15:25 hrs - SriKalahasti
17:56 hrs - Anna Nagar

Pics are at home. Will start tonight.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeevmenon (Post 2018204)

Hi can you elaborate your trip little bit more? your map shows that your reached erraguntla kota but you never mentioned it here

BTW i was also looking for such one day trips long with my friends but could not find any except horsely and i was not sure how it would be.So we went to yercaud last friday,saturday and sunday (Aug 6-8)

@joshguyA=F=VelacheryB=TalakonaC=Kalyani DamD=Sri KalahastiE=Anna NagarErraguntla Kota is on the other side of the hill it looks like. I did not go to Erraguntla Kota.How was Yercaud, joshguy? For a day trip Elagiri is a nice one!

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeevmenon (Post 2019025)

Ok,now talakona is in tirupathy or is it after tirupathy ? detailed route for talakona and kalyani please:)

yercaud was superb,this was the 3rd time but this time is was a different experience as we drove there.Yelagiri was in plan too but we skipped as it was not a great place.neither there are places to visit there nor it is cool like any other hill station

Its quite straight forward. Kathipara, Ponnamallee, couple of kms and there is a signal on the NH which says right Tirupati. Thirumazhisai, Thirutani, cross the border into Puttur. I wanted to take left at Vadamala, straight to Chandragiri, but missed it and then the next left towards Chandragiri. There were 3 or 4 times when the road sign said Tirupati is to the right (4-5 km), kept going straight till Chandragiri. There is a distinct right turn to get into Chandragiri town where you hit the clock-tower. Take the left from here to first cross Rangampet, then you reach Kalyani Dam. It has an black-arched entrance and a snack shop and a AP bus stand just outside this Dam premise. Further ahead from Kalyani Dam one reaches Bhakarapet. There is a petrol bunk - a sign board said so, I did not see it, since before we could reach the bunk there is a distinct right turn to Talakona. 25 odd km from this junction.